Registration-controller for time-recorders.



No. 898,042. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1908. H. 0. FORD.

REGISTRATION CONTROLLER FOR TIMI RECORDERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.19,1906. RENEWED JUNE 30, 1908.

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No. 898,042. PATENTED SEPT. 8,1908. H. O. FORD.

REGISTRATION CONTROLLER FOR TIME REOORDERS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 19,1906. RENEWED JUNE so, 1908.

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UNITED STATES; PATENT OFFICE.

HANNIBAL 0. FORD, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO DEY CORPORATION OFNEW YORK.

TIME REGISTER CO., A

REGISTRATION-CONTROLLER FOR TIME-RECORDERS.

Application filed April 19, 1906, Serial No. 312,543.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HANNIBAL O. FORD, residing at Syracuse, in thecounty of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Registration-Oontrollers for Time-Recorders, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to time recorders and the like. One of theobjects thereof is to provide practical and efficient means adapted tocontrol the formation of records in instruments of the above nature insuch manner as to prevent the superposition of one record upon another.

Another object is to provide means adapted for use in connection withworkmens time recorders to insure the chronological disposition of theseveral impressions forming the daily record of the individual workman.

Another object is to provide means of the types above mentioned adaptedto be set in inoperative condition by means beyond the control of theuser of the instrument to prevent repetition of a completed record.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the embodiment thereof hereinafter described and thescope of the application of which will be indicated in the followingclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown one of the variouspossible embodiments of my invention,Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectionthrough a recorder embodying my invention, certain parts being brokenaway to show the apparatus more clearly. Fig. 2 is a detail elevation ofthe manually controlled actuating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a sectional viewof the parts shown in Fig. 2, taken along the line ac-x. Fig. 4 is asimi lar view of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 3, showing the samein a different position. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of aspring-controlled key for restoring the mechanism to its normalcondition.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

Renewed June 30, 1908. Serial No. 441,245.

In order that this invention may be most readily grasped it may here benoted that in recording apparatus in general the records are likely tobecome superimposed, thus rendering unintelligible the two or'moreimpressions so related. This is peculiarly the case in connection withworkmens time recording apparatus, from the tendency to use the samequickly and carelessly by the workmen or, in some cases, on account ofthe desire to deliberately falsify or obliterate the records. The aboveand other defects are remedied in constructions of the nature of thathereinafter described.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which is set forth anembodiment of my invention showing the same in relation to a timerecorder of the well-known dial type, there is shown a casing 1 providedwith clock-work 2 and time-controlled printing wheels 3. The printingwheels are mounted so as to be movable in a vertical direction in thewell-known manner, and are adapted to be forced downwardly intoengagement with a cylindrically disposed record receiving member 4. Thelatter part is positioned upon a drum mounted upon a shaft 5 upon theouter or front end of which is disposed a crossarm 6 having thereon anactuating lever 7. ithin the hollow forward end of shaft 5 is disposed arod 8 connected through the longitudinal slot 9 with a collar 10 adapted to engage a lever 11 fulcrumed on the frame of the instrument at 12.The upper end of this lever is adapted to actuate a lever 13 through acurved lever 14, and thus force the printing wheels 3 into engagementwith the record sheet. These parts, forming in themselves no part of thepresent invention and performing in general functions which should belargely obvious, are shown in a somewhat diagrammatic form.

Actuating lever 7 is provided with a slot 15 through which passes a pin16 on the crossarm 6 and rests within a guide 17 upon the opposite endof the cross-arm. The outer end of lever 7 is provided with a pin 18adapted to enter openings disposed about the dial 19 upon its beingforced by the hand-grip 20 toward the instrument. This action forces therod 8 inwardly and by the means above described forms a record upon thesheet 4.

In the use of this instrument, as is common with the well-known type ofdial recorder, the 1 pin 18 is brought opposite the number upon thedial, best shown in Fig. 2, correspond ing to the workman whose recordis to be formed, and is forced toward the instrument, thus causing thepin to enter the opening, in this case slot, 21 disposed adjacent thenum ber. By the above rotary movement the record-receiving member isturned so as to bring the proper transverse column formed thereon by thelines 22 into operative relation to the printing wheels 3, and thedepressing action results in the formation of a record within thiscolumn which corresponds to the daily record of the correspondingworkman. The precise space within this column in which the record isformed is determined by the following means.

J ournaled within the frame of the instrument is a shaft 23 the outer orfront end of which is provided with a crank 24 adapted to coact withcertain data upon a dial adjacent thereto to determine the preciseposition of the shaft and the parts connected therewith. Upon shaft 23is a bevel pinion 25 connected through suitable bevel gearing with avertical shaft 26 which is in turn connected with a shaft 27. Upon thelatter part is mounted a pulley 28 supporting in conjunction with anidle pulley 29 an endless band'30 connected with a portion 31 of thecarriage within which the printing wheels 3 are mounted. This carriageis movable not only toward the record-receiving member but also in alateral direction, the latter movement being brought about through theparts immediately abovedescribed upon a rotary movement being given thecrank 24. It will thus be seen that upon thelatter part being rotatedthe position of the printing wheels 3 with respectto therecord-receiving member 4 will be oh anged in a transverse or lateraldirection, as this direction or its equivalent may be termed, and therecords for a single day as Morn in, Noon out and the like are suitablyspaced. It is unnecessary to describe the precise details of the abovemechanism, inasmuch as the same in itself forms no part of the resentinvention.

pon the shaft 23 is mounted a cam 32, herein shown in cylindrical form,adapted to co-act with a roller 33 formed upon a lever 34 pivoted to theframe of the instrument. The upper end of this lever rests within andcontrols in position a collar 35 slidable upon a sleeve 36 looselymounted upon the shaft 5. Collar 35 is provided with an inwardlydirected pin 37 passing through a spiral slot 38 cut in the sleeve 36and taking into the ab ovedescribed longitudinal slot 9 in the innershaft 5. It will thus be seen that upon the crank 24 being turned, thelongitudinal position of the collar 35 upon the sleeve 36 will bechanged and, due to the action of the pin 37, a relatively rotarymovement of sleeve 36 and shaft 5 will take place.

Upon the outer end of sleeve 36 is formed a crank 39 see Fig. 2 providedwith a pin 40 taking into a slot.41 in a plate 42 upon the actuating armor lever. 7. It will thus be seen that upon the sleeve 36 being rotatedwith respect to shaft 5 the pin 40 will be swung in one or the otherdirection, such movement being permitted by the slotted connection ofthe actuating lever with the ,pin 16. This movement will result in anincrease or decrease of what may be termed the effective length of theactuating lever, which, in this case, is the distance from the pin 18 tothe axis of the shaft 5.

Each of the openings 21 is provided with a shutter 43 adapted to slidein suitable guides and normally pressed as by a spring 44 toward thecenter of the dial. These shutters are retained in retracted position byspring racks 45 adapted to coact with teeth 46 formed thereon. Upon thepin 18 being pressed inwardly, however, as in the case of the actuationof the instrument, the corresponding rack 45 is forced from the tooth asshown in Fig. 4, and as the pin is withdrawn permits the same to snapforward to again engage the shutter with its next lower tooth. By aproper disposition and conformation of the rack teeth the shutters willupon the pin 18 being removed assume such position as to prevent thereentry thereof in the same path. It will thus be seen that upon therecord being formed at a given space upon the receiving member 4 thesuperposition of another record upon this space is absolutely preventedby reason of the fact that in order to accomplish such result the pin 18must first be placed within the corresponding opening in order tooperate the printing wheels. In order to render operative the mechanismfor forming another record for the workman in question it will benecessary either to retract the shutter or shorten the arm. The formeroperation is performed, as hereinafter described, only at the end of theday and thus the alternative of shortening the arm must be employed.This isbrought about by means of the crank 24, acting as above, whichwill however move the printing wheels laterally with respect to therecord-receiving member in such manner as to bring the same opposite anunused space. The adjustment of the lever 7 and type wheels takes placesimultaneously and is made after a complete set of records of a certaintype has been completed, that is, after all of the records for Noon inor Noon out, etc., have been completed.

In order to insure accuracy of action in the means for varying theeffective length of the actuating arm an alinement device is preferablyprovided, the same being here shown as a pin 47 upon the cross-arm 6adapted to coact with a series of perforations 48 upon the inner surfaceof the arm 7.

Upon the records being completed for the entire day, the shutters of allused openings will of course be in their extreme innermost position, andit is necessary to retract the same in order to permit use of theinstrument for the following day. In this embodiment of my inventionthis result is accomplished by means of what may be termed a key 49,shown in detail in Fig. 5 of the drawings. This key is detachablyinterlocked with the outer end of the arm 7 as by means of a pin 50,entering a perforation 51, and a spring 52 resting about the pin 18. Theblade of the key is adapted to enter the outer portion of the dial asthrough an opening 53 and upon a single rotation of the arm 7 willretract each shutter to its outermost position. The key may be of anydesired form and it may be noted that by the term -key" is meant anyseparate device having peculiarities adapting it for use in releasing orretracting any parts of the instrument.

It will be noted that each of the racks 45 is formed with the teethcorresponding in number to the number of different records to be made insequence during a working day. The racks in the present instance areformed with siX teeth corresponding to Morn in Noon out; Noon in;Evening out; Night in; and Night out; and these teeth successivelyengage the shutters to hold the same in position to prevent repetitionof a record already made by an operator but hold the shutter in positionto permit the proper record to be made. For instance, if the shutter isheld by the third tooth, corresponding to Noon in, the record can bemade in the-different spaces alloted to Noon in but no record can bemade for preceding records, that is, for Morn in and Noon out.

The operation of the above-described embodiment of my invention has beenalready set forth somewhat fully, but it may be noted in brief that uponthe several shutters being retracted as above described, records mayfreely be formed by each workman and that one record only can be formedupon each space upon the record-receiving member. Irrespective ofwhether the transverse relative movement of the printing mechanism andrecord sheet is automatic or manually actuated, the release orretraction of the shutter is beyond control of the workman, and theentire mechanism is proof against either accidental or deliberatemisuse.

It will thus be seen that I have provided means well adapted to performthe several objects of my invention, and that the same are of simple,efiicient and compact construction and eminently adapted for practicaluse.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of my invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, I intend that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I desire it also to be understood that the language used in thefollowing claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specificfeatures of the invention herein described and all statements of thescope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said tofall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. In a mechanism of the class described, incombination, record forming means, movable means to actuate the same,means movable within the path of movement of said actuating means toprevent repetition of a completed record, and means independent of saidpreventing means to restore the actuating means to operative conditionwithout affecting the movement or changing the position of saidpreventing means.

2. In a mechanism of the class described, in combination, time recordforming means, means to move a record receiving member into operativerelation to the record forming means, means to render said moving meansinoperative to repeat a completed record, means to cause relativelateral movement between said record forming means and the recordreceiving member, and means to restore said moving means to operativecondition to form a different record from that completed, said means forrendering the movement means inoperative being independent of andunaffected by the action of said restoring means.

3. In mechanism of the class described, in combination, record-formingmeans, means for placing the same into operative relation to arecord-receiving member, means adapted upon the actuation of saidplacing means to render the same inoperative, and means adapted to causea relative lateral movement of said record forming means and therecordreceiving member in two directions and upon movement in one ofsaid directions to restore said placing means to operative condition andupon movement in the opposite direction to maintain said placing meansin operative condition.

4. In mechanism of the class described, in combination, record-formingmeans, means adapted to place the same into operative relation to arecord-receiving member, means adapted upon the actuation of saidplacing means to render the same inoperative, and means adapted to causea relative lateral movement of said record forming means and therecord-receiving member in two directions and upon movement in one ofsaid directions to restore said placing means to operative condition andupon movement in the other direction to maintain said placing, means inoperative condition, sald placing means being independent of andunaffected by the action of said last-mentioned means.

5. In mechanism of the class described, in combination, time recordforming means, means adapted to place a record-receiving member inoperative relation thereto, manually-controlled means adapted to cause arelative movement of said first means and a record-receiving member in apredetermined direction, and means associated with said placing meansadapted automatically to insure the chronological order of recordsformed in said direction.

6. In mechanism of the class described, in combination, time recordingmeans, means adapted to place a record-receiving member in operativerelation thereto, manually-controlled means adapted to cause a relativemovement of said time recording means and a record-receiving member in apredetermined direction, means acting automatically to insure thechronological order of records formed in said direction, and meansadapted at the end of a predetermined number of operations to renderinoperative said last-mentioned means.

7. In mechanism of the class described, in combination, time recordingmeans, means adapted to place a record-receiving member in operativerelation thereto, manually-controlled means adapted to cause a relativemovement of said time recording means and a record-receiving member in apredetermined direction, means acting automatically to insure thechronological order of records formed'in said direction, andkey-controlled means adapted at the end of a given period to renderinoperative said last-mentioned means.

8. In mechanism of the class described, in combination, record-formingmeans, means adapted to place a record-receiving member in operativerelation thereto, means adapted upon actuation of said placing means torender the same inoperative with said record forming means and therecord receiving member in the relative positions in which saidactuation is made, means adapted upon relative movement of said recordforming means and the record-receiving member in a predetermined lateraldirection to restore said placing means to operative condition, saidthird means being independent of and unaffected by said movement, andmeans adapted to render said third means inoperative irrespective of therelative position of said record forming means and the recordreceivingmember.

9. In mechanism of the class described, in combination, record-formingmeans, means adapted to place a record-receiving member in operativerelation thereto, means adapted upon actuation of said placing means torender the same inoperative with said record forming means and therecord receiving member in the same relative positions in which saidactuation is made, means adapted upon relative movement of said recordforming means and the record-receiving member in a predetermined lateraldirection to restore said placing meanslto operative condition, saidmeans for rendering said placing means inoperative being independent ofand unaffected by said movement, and key-controlled means adapted torender inoperative said means for rendering the placing meansinoperative irrespective of the relative position of said first meansand the record-receiving member.

10. In mechanism of the class described, in combination, time-controlledmeans adapted to form a record upon a receiving surface,

means adapted automatically to prevent the formation of a second recordupon the same portion of said surface, and key-controlled means adaptedto restore said second means to condition permitting operation of saidtime controlled means.

11. In a dial time recorder, in combination, an actuating arm, meansadapted to vary the effective length thereof, and a shutter adapted uponactuation of said arm automatically to move into the path thereof andprevent a second actuation thereof.

12. In a dial time recorder, in combination, an actuating arm, recordforming means connected with said actuating arm, means adapted to bringsaid record-forming means in operative relation to a record-receivingmember, means adapted to shift said rec0rd-forming means laterally withrespect to said record-receiving member, means controlled by saidlast-mentioned means adapted to vary the effective length of saidactuating arm, and a shutter adapted upon actuation of said arm to moveinto the path of movement of said arm and prevent a second actuationthereof.

13. In a dial time recorder, in combination, an actuating arm, recordforming means, means connected with said actuating arm adapted to bringsaid record-forming means in operative relation to a record re ceivingmember, means adapted to shift said record forming means laterally withrespect to said record-receiving member, means controlled by saidshifting means adapted to vary the effective length of said actuatingarm, a shutter adapted upon actuation of said arm to move into the pathof movement thereof and prevent a second actuation thereof, andkey-controlled means adapted to retract said shutter.

14. In a dial time recorder, in combina tion, a dial provided with aplurality of elongated openings, an actuating arm provided with a memberadapted to enter said open ings, a shutter in each of said openings,

means adapted upon said arm being actuated to throw the correspondingshutter into the path in which said member has been moved, and meansadapted to vary the effective length of said arm.

15. In a dial time recorder, in combination, a dial provided with aplurality of elongated openings, an actuating arm provided with a memberadapted to enter said openings, a shutter in each of said openings,means adapted upon said arm being actuated to throw the correspondingshutter into the path in which said member has been moved, means adaptedto vary the efl'ective length of said arm, and means adapted tosimultaneously retract said shutters.

16. In a dial time recorder, in combination, a dial provided with aplurality of elongated openings, an actuating arm pro vided with amember adapted to enter said openings, a shutter in each of saidopenings, means adapted upon said arm being actuated to throw thecorresponding shutter into the path in which said member has traveled inactuation, record-forming means, means adapted to hold arecord-receiving member, means adapted to cause a relative lateralmovement between said record-receiving -member and said record-formingmeans, and

means controlled by said moving means to vary the effective length ofsaid arm.

17. In a dial time recorder, in combination, a dial provided with aplurality of elongated openings, an actuating arm provided with a memberadapted to enter said openings, a shutter in each of said openings,means adapted upon said arm being actuated to throw the correspondingshutter into the path in which said member has traveled in actuation,record-forming means, means adapted to hold a record-receiving member,means adapted to cause a relative movement between said record-receivingmember and said record-forming means, means controlled by saidlast-mentioned means adapted to vary the effective length of said arm,and means adapted to simultaneously retract said shutters.

18. In a dial time recorder, in combination, an actuating arm, meansadapted to vary the effective length thereof, a dial provided with anelongated opening, means upon said arm adapted to enter said opening, aspring-pressed shutter within said opening,'.and means comprising atoothed member adapted to hold said shutter in retracted position andupon said arm being actuated to release said shutter and permit the sameto move into the path in which said member has traveled duringactuation.

19. In a dial time recorder, in combination, a dial provided with aplurality of elongated openings, an actuating arm provided with a memberadapted to enter said openings, means adapted to vary the effectivelength of said arm, a shutter in each of said openings, a spring tendingto move said shutter in a radial direction with respect to said dial,and means comprising racks adapted to hold said shutters in retractedpositions and upon said member entering said openings to permit saidshutters to move into the path in which said member has traveled duringactuation.

20. In a dial time recorder, in combination, a dial provided with aplurality of elongated radially disposed openings, an actuating armprovided with a member adapted to enter said openings, means adapted tovary the effective length of said arm, a shutter in each of saidopenings spring-pressed in a radial direction with respect to said dial,and means comprising a spring-pressed rack extending within the path ofsaid member and adapted to hold said shutter in retracted position, saidlast means being adapted upon actuation of said arm to release thecorresponding shutter and permit the same to close the correspondingopening to an extent preventing the reentry of said member at the samedistance from the center of the dial.

21. In a dial time recorder, in combination, a dial provided with aplurality of elongated radially disposed openings, an. actuating armprovided with a member" adapted to enter said openings, means adapted tovary the reflective length of said arm, a shutter in each of saidopenings springpressed in a radial direction with respect to said dial,means comprising a spring-pressed rack extending within the path of saidmember and adapted to hold said shutter in retracted position, said lastmeans being adapted upon actuation of said arm to re lease thecorresponding shutter and permit the same to close the correspondingopening to an extent preventing the reentry of said member at the samedistance from the center of the dial, and key-controlled means adaptedsimultaneously to retract said shutters.

22. In a dial time recorder, in combina tion, printing means, meansadapted to cause a relative lateral movement of the printing andrecord-receiving means, an actuating arm adjustable in effective length,a shaft, a sleeve engaging said shaft, relatively inclined slots in saidshaft and said sleeve, a collar provided with a pin passing through saidslots, means controlled by said second means adapted to reciprocate saidcollar and. rotate said sleeve relative to said shaft, and a connectionbetween said sleeve and said actuating arm adapted upon said relativerotary movement taking place to vary the effective length of said arm.

23. In a dial time recorder, in combination, printing means, meansadapted to cause a relative lateral movement of the printing andrecord-receiving means, an actuating arm adjustable in effective length,a shaft, a sleeve engaging said shaft, relatively inclined slots in saidshaft and said sleeve, a collar provided with a pin passing through saidslots, means controlled by said second means adapted to reciprocate saidcollar and rotate said sleeve relative to said shaft, a connectionbetween said sleeve and said actuating arm adapted upon said relativerotary movement taking place to vary the efiective length of said arm, aplurality of elongated openings about the dial of the instrument, aspring-pressed shutter in each of said openings, andmeans adapted uponsaid arm being actuated with respect to one of said openings to causethe corresponding shutter to move into the path of travel thereof andprevent a second actuation in the same position.

24 In a dial time recorder, in combination, printing means, actuatingmeans adapted to cause a relative lateral movement of the printing andrecord-receiving means, an actuating arm adjustable in effective length,a shaft, a sleeve engaging said shaft, relatively inclined slots in saidshaft and said sleeve, a collar provided with a pin passing through saidslots, means controlled by said actuating means adapted to reciprocatesaid collar and rotate said sleeve relative to said shaft, a connectionbetween said sleeve and said actuating arm adapted upon said relativerotary movement taking place to vary the effective length of said arm, aplurality of elongated openings about the dial of the instrument, aspring-pressed shutter in each of said openings, means adapted upon saidarm being actuated with respect to one of said openings to cause thecorresponding shutter to move into the path of travel of said arm andprevent a second actuation in the same position, and key-controlledmeans adapted to retract said shutters.

25. I11 a dial time recorder, in combination, time record forming means,a dial having an opening, a movably mounted actuat ing element movableto enter said opening at a plurality of points corresponding to recordsto be made, and means to prevent said element from entering said openingat a determined point or points.

26. In a dial time recorder, in combination, time record forming means,a dial having an opening, a movably mounted actuating element movable toenter said opening at a plurality of points corresponding to records tobe made, and automatically operated means to prevent said element fromentering said opening at a determined point or points.

27. In a dial time recorder, in combina tion, time record forming means,a dial having an opening, a movably mounted actuating element movable toenter said opening at a plurality of points corresponding to records tobe made, and automatically operated means set in operation by theactuating element in making a record, to prevent the said element fromentering said opening at a point or points corresponding to a completedrec- 0rd or completed records.

28. In a dial time recorder, in combination, time record forming means,a dial having an opening, a movably mounted actuating element movable toenter said opening at a plurality of points corresponding to records tobe made, means to prevent said element from entering said opening at adetermined point or points, and means to enable said element to entersaid opening at a point or points different from that corresponding to acompleted record.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

HANNIBAL C. FORD.

Witnesses:

J. S. PIOHELL, Owens 0. MYERS.

